▲ A Seoul city official cools off with a portable fan at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 7th.
As the heat wave intensifies today, July 12, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has significantly strengthened protective measures for vulnerable groups, including elderly residents living alone.
The Seoul city government and local district offices have activated heat wave response centers and deployed approximately 430 personnel to begin emergency operations.
The response centers are calling elderly residents living alone in areas with small, single-room dwellings to check on their well-being. If they cannot be reached, officials are visiting them in person to assess their health status.
In addition, the city is increasing patrols and counseling for areas with high concentrations of homeless individuals and is conducting intensive inspections to ensure that outdoor construction workers are provided with sufficient rest periods.
To cool down the urban heat, the city is deploying water sprinkler trucks for road cleaning and operating mist-spraying systems in various locations to lower ambient temperatures.
Temporary air-conditioned shelters called "Happy-so" (a combination of "Happy" and the Korean word for "place"), which utilize air domes, have been installed in major outdoor public spaces frequently visited by citizens, such as Gwanghwamun Square and Cheonggye Plaza.
With the exception of Gangbuk-gu, which is currently using a temporary office building, 24 other districts have designated their district office buildings as heat shelters and are keeping them open 24 hours a day.
To support citizens exhausted by the heat, the city is installing free bottled water vending machines near streams and providing parasol rental services in various regions to help people avoid direct sunlight.
Starting today, Gangbuk-gu has installed and begun operating "Oasis Refrigerators," which are free bottled water vending machines, along the Ui Stream, while Nowon-gu will begin operating its "Healing Refrigerators" on July 22.
Seongdong-gu is promoting its project under the name "Seongdong Spring Water Warehouse," Gwanak-gu as "Gang Gam-chan Spring Water," and Yongsan-gu as "Yongsan-gu Spring," while other districts are also implementing bottled water distribution programs.
Seocho-gu is currently operating its unmanned parasol rental system, "Seoripul Parasol Smart Rental Service," at 24 locations, including Yangjae Station, Nambu Bus Terminal, and the Seoul Arts Center.
Some districts have signed agreements with local lodging businesses to provide nighttime heat shelters for the elderly and have decided to extend the operation of shelters for essential workers through the weekend.
Meanwhile, as of 2:00 p.m. today, a heat wave warning is in effect for the southeastern and southwestern parts of Seoul, while a heat wave advisory has been issued for the rest of the city.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government is disseminating guidelines for heat wave prevention through safety text messages and electronic displays, and is providing real-time information, such as the locations of cooling shelters, through its disaster safety portal, "Seoul Safety Nuri" (https://safecity.seoul.go.kr).
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.